December 10, 2000

I confess. I signed the petition asking
Al Gore to step aside and avoid spoiling
Nader's chances of election. As my
punishment, I now receive email from
people like Tom Wright, author of
The Pornography of Power
I think he's misguided when he says:
"A President Gore would have been far
more devastating to the American Public
than the back-assed, know-nothing dunce
from Texas, who will no doubt require the
full four years of his term to memorize his
new address and phone number."
Young Dubya's handlers are a highly
trained and determined crew, dangerous
even without the resources of the Oval
Office at their disposal. The fact that
he is already receiving official CIA
briefings is frightening enough, but he
isn't president yet, and Tom you really
were jumping the gun back in November
when it seems you declared the contest
over and done with. As for Gore, it is
interesting to note the extent that he has
moved with his constituency. He did
represent the people of Tennesee
when it was his job, and like most
successful politicians. he lead to the
extent that he could, choosing his
battles carefully. Should he fall short
during this last lap, he may not be the
toast of the town back in Tennessee,
but he has clearly won for himself
a much broader following than those
among us who freely indulge in
strident, alienating rhetoric for the
sake of appearing witty within their
own insular political clique. I'll sum
up by saying that I couldn't find
anything in your article that speaks
to Green issues and your commentary
on the Vice President is far below the
standard he set for himself when he
worked as a journalist. Nonetheless,
if you are as interested in progressive
politics as you claim to be, you will
continue to follow the progress of the
Fresh Green Blog, where timely coverage
of long-standing international issues
such as the investigation of the Letellier
murder, the continued imprisonment
of Lori Berenson, and the intrigues
fostered by the School of the Americas
in Peru and elsewhere are held
continuously before the public eye.